Premiership Clubs Outspend Other Major European Leagues Combined

Take a look at this article I found on Fox Soccer's website:

"Clubs in the English Premier League showed again during soccer's January transfer window the benefit of playing in Europe's richest national competition.

The 20 teams spent a record total of about 150 million pounds (US$298 million; €200 million) on players to boost their chances of success or aid their attempt to avoid relegation.

That is more than the top leagues in Italy, Spain, Germany and France put together.

Buoyed by a 300 million-pound increase in television revenue this season and expected total income of 1.8 billion pounds, the Premier League clubs spent about three times as much as they did in the last January trading window.

But the biggest spending club owed little of its outlay to the changing revenue streams.

Backed by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, Chelsea paid more than 27 million pounds (US$53.8 million; €36.1 million) for France striker Nicolas Anelka, Serbia defender Branislav Ivanovic and Argentina under-20 forward Franco di Santo.

In third place and seeking to regain the title they last won in 2006, the Blues were the only team of the so-called "Big Four" rounded out by Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool to go into the red in January.

Much of that went on Anelka, whose 15 million-pound (US$29.9 million; €20.1 million) transfer from Bolton made him the Premier League's most expensive January signing ever.

That pushed Chelsea into spending almost as much as the total 30 million pounds (US$59.7 million; €40.2 million) by the 24 teams in the second-tier League Championship.

With such riches on offer to those in the elite, it is little surprise that Fulham, Wigan, Birmingham, Bolton and Sunderland all spent a lot to bolster their squads as they fight relegation.

Fulham spent almost 10 million pounds (US$19.9 million; €13.4 million), although its most important arrival could prove to be free signing Jari Litmanen, the veteran Finland forward who won the Champions League with Ajax and also played for FC Barcelona and Liverpool.

"I have no doubt that he will have a big part to play over the coming months and that we shall benefit as a team from his skill and experience," Fulham manager Roy Hodgson said.

Fulham has struggled to protect a lead this season and is in 19th place, but Litmanen's ability to hold the ball up and score crucial goals should relieve some of the pressure on a defense strengthened by Denmark's Leon Andreasen and another Finland international, Toni Kallio.

Last-place Derby was one of the busiest clubs, bringing in eight players despite looking certain to be relegated. But the Rams only spent 3.5 million pounds (US$6.9 million; €4.7 million) and brought in the experienced Laurent Robert, Alan Stubbs, Roy Carroll and Danny Mills for free or on loan.

That reluctance to spend suggests the club is thinking about preparing for next season and an attempt at promotion back to the Premier League.

But at the other end of the table, United and Arsenal, which are tied atop the standings with four points more than Chelsea, made no major acquisitions. They only jettisoned fringe players and sent youngsters out on loan.

And while a record amount was spent, more than 73 million pounds (US$145 million; €97.6 million), or about half, was recouped in sales.

And Tottenham was the perfect example.

Spurs were the second biggest spenders with 21.5 million pounds (US$42.8 million; €28.7 million) on Jonathan Woodgate, Alan Hutton, Gilberto and Chris Gunter signed to shore up a defense that has conceded more goals from free kicks and corners than any other.

But it clawed back more than 11 million pounds (US$21.9 million; €14.7 million) offloading eight players, including England striker Jermain Defoe to Portsmouth."

All I can say is "wow". A net total of $153 million US was spent by Premiership clubs to acquire players this January. That's an average of $4.9 million per day, which is just $200,000 less than what Chelsea striker Claudio Pizarro signed for last summer. In one month, Premiership clubs spent more than half of what Alex Rodriguez would make in his new 10-year, $275 million contract with the New York Yankees, which is the richest contract in sports history.

The Premiership is the most entertaining soccer league in the world, and I've said that on numerous occasions. The quality of play might not be the best, but obviously people like watching it as evidenced by the Premiership's gigantic TV contracts.

David Beckham Deserves his 100th Cap

With the announcement of the 30-man provisional squad selected by new England coach Fabio Capello yesterday for the upcoming friendly against Switzerland, I thought it was time for me to weigh in on the “Does Becks deserve his 100th cap?” debate.

Let me make something clear first. I have no problem whatsoever with Beckham not being picked for this game. He’s not match fit, and it’s that simple. You can’t justify putting him on the roster when he’s been training for a month with Arsenal’s reserves over players like David Bentley, Shaun Wright-Phillips, and Ashley Young, guys who have been playing competitively in the Premier League all winter and play that same wide position (although Young plays on the left for Aston Villa). Again, I completely understand the rationale behind that decision.

Capello left the door open to recall Becks to the squad if he is on good form when the MLS season kicks off this spring and I have no doubt he will be. Capello and Beckham have a history of this same sort of thing from Real Madrid last year, where Beckham impressed the manager so much in training that he put Becks back into the starting lineup (where he played an integral role in helping Madrid win La Liga) even after chairman Ramón Calderón stated that the former would never play for the Spanish giant again after his declaration to move to the LA Galaxy that summer.

I’m not sure how you can make the argument that Beckham doesn’t deserve his 100th cap for everything he’s done for England and soccer in that nation, both with the national team and with Manchester United. You can say that Beckham isn’t part of England’s future, which is correct, but this discussion isn’t about whether he will play any part in World Cup 2010 or even the qualifying campaign. This is about whether he should lead the team out of the tunnel for one more game, whether he should receive the honor of 100 caps for England, something done only by four players previously. It would be a milestone figure for Beckham, and one that he’s truly earned through his accomplishments on and off the field.

Beckham’s reputation as a player is well-documented. Notable figures in the game like his former managers Sir Alex Ferguson and Capello have praised him for his consummate professionalism and dedication. He was a part of six Premiership winners at Manchester United, where he also won a Champions League and two FA Cups. He was the runner-up for the FIFA World Player of the Year award on two occasions (1999 and 2001). Without Becks’ free kick against Greece in October 2001, England wouldn’t have even qualified for World Cup 2002. In that match, he was the only England player to step up and it was his performance that carried the rest of the team. In World Cup 2006, Beckham played a direct part (either through a goal or an assist) in four of England’s six goals in the tournament. He became the first English player ever to score in three different World Cups. Since that World Cup, he’s played in four matches for England and totaled four assists.

Beckham served as England’s captain for 58 of the 99 games he’s appeared in, from November 15, 2000 to July 2, 2006, when England lost on penalties to Portugal in the World Cup quarterfinals. After that loss, Beckham was the definition of a great captain. We saw him consoling his teammates, picking them up off the field and embracing them, shaking hands with the Portuguese players, and applauding the fans as he went into the tunnel. Six years’ worth of wearing the armband is a remarkable accomplishment and in terms of “matches captained”, Beckham ranks fourth in England national team history. It’s common knowledge that his tenure and leadership was instrumental in the career of many English players, Wayne Rooney most noticeably. Rooney was a loose cannon for Everton, England, and for Manchester United when he first arrived at Old Trafford, but the time he spent around Beckham with England really seemed to change him as a player.

Do I think Beckham deserves that 100th cap? Of course. Do I think he’ll actually get it? Yes. Barring injury, there’s simply no way he won’t get it and I think the only question is when, not if, it will happen. I believe Capello will want him to get it at home in front of the fans, so I’m predicting Beckham will captain the squad for the last time in the game against Kazakhstan on October 11 of this year. Prior to that, there are two other World Cup qualifiers but they’re both away, so I don’t think he’ll play in either of those games. Of course, the middle of the MLS season (when Beckham should be in full stride) would come closer to the September 6 match at Andorra, and even though Beckham should be in better form than most of the Premiership players who are just getting their season underway, I’m not sure if he would get that 100th cap on the road.

David Beckham deserves his 100th cap. He’s contributed enormously to English soccer over the years and served his country as captain for 58 matches. He’s carried the team and won important games single-handedly. He’s influenced many players both on and off the field in tremendous, positive ways.

How can this man not reach that honored milestone?

African Cup of Nations Recap--Day 12

Both teams said they were playing to win the game. Both teams only needed a point to advance the quarterfinals. What was the result? As I predicted here a few days ago, the Tunisia-Angola match yesterday ended in a boring 0-0 draw. The crowd was depressingly small, it was a hot afternoon, the match was played at an incredibly slow pace, and there were only a few real chances all game long.

Angola, after qualifying for their first ever World Cup in 2006 (and they acquitted themselves very nicely as well), have now reached the quarterfinals of the African Cup of Nations for the first time in their soccer history.

Tunisia coach Roger Lemerre was clearly satisfied with a draw as he was shown repeatedly waving his players back to sit behind the ball in the second half and his side go through as the champions of Group D. Radhi Jaidi and Mehdi Nafti, both Birmingham City players, started for The Eagles of Carthage.

Senegal and South Africa both needed to win and then have a winner in the Tunisia-Angola match for either of the former two nations to qualify for the next round. Neither event happened as yesterday's other game ended 1-1. South Africa went ahead almost a quarter of an hour into the match through Elrio Van Heerden's second goal of the tournament, but West Ham striker Henri Camara equalized for Senegal in the 37th minute. Blackburn defensive midfielder Aaron Mokoena played but didn't have a great game for South Africa, and Premiership players Camara, Abdoulaye Faye, Papa Bouba Diop, and Diomansy Kamara all started for Senegal.

The Lions of Teranga were playing without starting goalkeeper Tony Sylva and captain El-Hadji Diouf as the pair were suspended for breaking curfew earlier in the week. It was a disappointing exit for the West African nation; their roster is full of accomplished players and after a quarterfinal run in World Cup 2002, they enter every major tournament with high expectations.

South Africa was using this tournament as a chance for the players to gain high-level, competitive match experience before World Cup 2010, which they'll host. Brazilian coach Carlos Alberto Perreira has made the World Cup the main focus for his team and they'll put all their eggs in that basket.

The quarterfinal bracket for Groups C and D is now complete. Tunisia, the champion of Group D, will take on Group C runner-up Cameroon on Monday and Angola will face Egypt, the defending champions of this tournament and winner of Group C, on Tuesday.

Final Group D Standings (Teams in bold advance):

1. Tunisia (5 points, +2 goal differential)
2. Angola (5 pts, +2 GD)
3. Senegal (2 pts, -2 GD)
4. South Africa (2 pts, -2 GD)

Action resumes on Sunday with the first two quarterfinal matchups, Ghana-Nigeria and Ivory Coast-Guinea. I'm going to go with good form and take Ghana and Ivory Coast to win their games and advance to the semifinals.